Papayas contain .10 milligrams of iron per 100 grams. Grams is a measure of weight. To put 100 grams in perspective, consider alternative measures for this food:
- 1 cup equals 140 grams.
- 1 cup equals 230 grams.
In the category of fruit, we excluded dried fruit from the Top 10 list and include only fresh fruit. You can assume that if the fresh version made the top 10 list, so too would the dried version.The food tested for the particular graph below can be described more specifically as:
Papayas, raw
Read more about iron in fruit or visit our iron-rich foods list.
Papayas and Your Iron Absorption
Papayas themselves are not high in iron, however, papayas do have a high Vitamin C content which can help you absorb iron from plant-based foods. Plant foods such as grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds contain iron inhibitors and you do not absorb all of the iron from those foods as you might expect. Luckily, you can use preparation techniques we describe on our site to reduce iron inhibitors in your plant-based foods and, in addition, you can complement those foods with high Vitamin C foods like papaya. Papaya is a great addition to a hot morning breakfast cereal rich in iron (such as teff, quinoa, or amaranth) and also complements main dishes in interesting ways. In this way, papaya can actually play an important role in your iron status.
Fruit on the whole is not a great source of iron but it does have an important role in your iron metabolism. Fruit can be a great source of vitamin C which will actually help you utilize the iron better in your plant-based food items; papayas are an excellent source of vitamin C.
As an example, you can include peppers and tomatoes with a grain-based entrée or with a bean-based dish to improve your metabolism of the iron in your meal as a whole. A raw papaya dessert with your dinner would also increase your iron metabolism because of the vitamin C in the fruit. A glass of fruit juice is another an excellent move. Learn more about how these vitamin C foods reduce the impact of iron blockers in your diet even though they contain little iron themselves.
Explore our website for more tips on increasing the iron in your food. Use our searchable data base to examine the iron content of your favorite foods.